The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-16
FAIRCHILD's DENUNcIArIoN.

N.
The Appalling Curse Invoked by the Grand
Army's Commander-in-Chie
NEW YORK, June 15.-"May God palsy the
hand that wrote the order! May God palsy the
brain that conceived it, and may God palsy the
tongue that dictated it,"
Grand Army of the Republic veterans heard
these words with bated breath, and glanced at
each other with awe the terrible sentences
rang out from the commander chief of the
Grand Army of the Republic, tonight. in Asso-
citation Hail. in Harlem The occasion was q
reception rendered to the commander-in-chief by
Alexander Hamilton Post 1872, g. A. r. Visitors
were present from every Grand Army post of
this city and vicinity. Post Commander A. III
Underhill presided. Among those present were
Senior Vice Department CommaAder Lafferty,
Junior Vice Commander Charles Hall Grant,
Past State Commander Hedges, of Haverstraw.
and Corporal Tanner.
Before the meeting opened it became known
that General Ross. of Austin. Tex. had received
letter from the Adjutant- general of the United
States army stating that the President had ap-
proved the recommendation, and the writer had
been instructed by the Secretary Of War to re-
turn all the flags in the care of the War Depart
mont to the Southern States from whose regi-
ments the flags had been captured during the
War of the Rebellion.
General Farchild entered the hall with STERN
set features. Without hardly waiting for the
usual courtesies the one-armed leader burst
The General told of the 01 news 'or re.
ceived BY telegraph. that the Pres
ident had approved of the return of the
by the veterans of the G: A R. in open conflict
with the enemies of the Nation. The veterans
had placed their trophies in the care of the War
Department. They were intended, he said.
a
Nation mementoes of hard-won fields of
battle. He continued: "How can the present
emblems of treason after their professions of
loyalty TO the Union2 Must they not return
them to the Secretary and say that they have
nothing to do with the flags the rebel organ
Aations are extinct and their Governors
deadlD
General Farchild said that he had frequently
listened to sentiments which caused him to bite
his tongue in the effort to maintain self control
In nine months past he had visited G. A. r.
posts in every State IN the North. East and
West He had never in any post meeting heard
nything but kindly feelings expressed toward
the men who had looked into the gun barrels
of Northern troops during the war. AS COM
mander- in-c chief he had tried to encourage this
kindly feeling. Now this changed. The
time had come to speak in the name of the
ganization. If he could not protest against
it as commander in chief of the g. A. X.
he would resign and protest a private citizen.
But he satisfied that $50 900 G. A. r. vet
Grams would rise as one man in solemn protest
at such fearful sacrifice of blood. Raising mis-
only hand the General said:
II appeal to the sentiment of the nation to
forbid this sacrilege."
There was a moments silence. Then wild
hurrah went ND. and was repeated and contin-
ued. Then came lond calls for Corporal Tanner.
He apologized for coming without his g. a. r.
badge One of the infantry recruited since the
war" asked him why he was going out of the house
without a badge. He answered that after the
action of the President in the of the rebel
flags, the next thing would be order demand
ing that the veterans of the war should return
their G.. a. r. badges. as they were made of
metal cast from guns captured in the war. He
was not surprised that such an order should
emanate from one who during the war, was in
the full vigor Of manhood, sturdy and strong,
yet who was represented IN the field by q su bsti-
tute drawn from the Erie penitentiary. Every
member should arise in the might of a veteran
and protest against this dissertation. The pro-
discussed by veterans. He had advised the
Western veterans to treat the President with
the respect due him, but now had come an order
from which nothing could come but condemna-
ton and result IN damnation.
These remarks were received with shouts and
cheers. Then Edmund Kendrick, late inspector
general of the department of New York, under
General Sickles, leaped to the platform, and
offered the following resolutions:
Whereas The President of the United States having
in the custody of the War Department belonging to
the Southern States in rebellion during the late civil
be returned to the respective States which bore
them. for such final disposition as they may deter
mine; therefore be it
Resolved That this post views with surprise the
action of the President and records its protests therefor
and,
Resolved That the sacrifice of blood which the
captured emblens represent a sacrifice to liberty
national union, and to Cod and
Resolved, That sentiment of generosity and
no expression of magnanmity is involved in the
surrender of these of national honor: and
Resolved That it only remains to direct that
the battle flags of the Union be distributed among the
representatives of the socalled .Confederacy
fitting acknowledgment of the righteousness of the
''Iost cause and,
Resolved That this post expresses its disapproba-
ton of this of the first President of the United
States who has held Office dixassociated from the
memories of the for the Union.
The resolutions were carried with a shout
Arrangements will be made to have a mass
meeting of veterans next week to protest
against the action of the President.
Opinions of Senator Henderson.